Age of Dragon: Birth of a Hero
by Ryker Davis
Summary: Beginning of the Age of Dragon one shots 9.10 Dragon. Every saga has it's hero. This is the Wardens beginning. Back before the blight begins there is the Noble Amell family of Kirkwall. Not all heroes come into the world under great prophecies. Some are simple births with not so happy characters. Set twenty years before the Blight begins.


9:10 Dragon 3 Harvestmere - Ciara

Nara bustled around her lady's state room, putting things in order and packing others for her mistress. Though arguably better for the new mother to be closer to the nursery the sudden change in quarters left all of the servants scrambling to have everything complete before the baby's arrival. Lord Aristide spared no expense updating the nursery for the coming child.

There were whispers among the nobles about the parentage of the young woman's unborn child. The rumors had it she was impregnated by everyone from a lowly servant to a traveling bard to the new Viscount himself. Most figured it was the Viscount due to Lord Amell not secreting his niece away and the governor's appetite in young women. Revka Amell herself had no intend in revealing the name of her child's father. After two tense conversations with her Uncle, the Lord declared the name was unnecessary, the child would be an Amell.

The move was also designed to protect the newest Amell once the child was born due to distance away from the sickness in the mansion. Lady Bethann was just regaining her strength from the sickness to which her turn at Cholera had weakened her terribly. Revka missed the Lady Bethann as she was the closest thing she had to a mother. Only her trusted servant gave her someone to confide in absolutely.

Revka waddled into the ornate room and looked around. It was truly more than she needed for just them. But she loved her uncle for the thought behind the renovations. The old lord was compensating for chasing away her cousin Leandra. She wished her father would be like her uncle and understand instead of being ashamed. "Nara, I am ready to go. Bring my waistcoat. I want to get to the shop before midday."

"Yes Milady, the woman said entering the room with a long back traveling wrap on her arm and hat in her hands.

Revka stood there as the maid chatted amicably about the additions and decorations her uncle had seen fit to add to the nursery and dressed her. Her feet were so swollen that even her most comfortable boots pinched the top of her foot. She was becoming as tired of the conversation as she was carrying the child itself. It wasn't as if she didn't already love the baby but between her back and her feet, she was more than ready to give birth. The same went for the constant conversations about the nursery. Which seemed to be all her maid could think to talk about for the last several months. She missed conversations about pretty clothes and balls.

"There you go milady. Would you like Otto to fetch Marcus from the stables?"

"Really Nara, would you please think. How am I supposed to get into a carriage? Just tell Otto to assign a couple of Uncle Aristide's soldiers to accompany us on foot. We will not be gone long."

Nara looked at her charge in alarm. "Milady. On foot? In your condition, surly you are joking?"

Revka threw back her head and chuckle tumbled out. "Relax, my worry wart. The Healers told me that a walk at a slow pace would be good for the baby. We are only going to the Apothecary to get balm for after the birth. Father and Damion will be back in an hour and I wish to be gone before they arrive. They are unhappy about the money Uncle is spending on me."

"But Milady, the apothecary is in low town. It would be madness to try to traverse the stairway in your condition. You might bring on the baby."

Right now, that sounded very good to Revka. She only wished she had thought of it earlier. "You do know that is not a bad thing. Our family could use a little to smile about now that Aunt Bethann is doing better."

Nara shook her head and wondered if pregnancy had taken away her lady's common sense. "I agree Milady it is time for the little one to join us. But there are so many stairs what if the baby comes while we are on them. Out in the open is no place to be birthing an infant. The midwife will not be able to get there to help and harm might come to the child."

Revka stamped her foot and mad a frustrated growl. She had been stuck in the house for the last four months. Between her Uncles concern for her and her father practically holding her prisoner out of shame. Her father did nothing more than glower day after day and demand the name of the child's father. Her brother was not talking to her. Probably out of guilt for talking her into going the night she was attacked. Her uncle acted as if the entire Amell household depended on the child in her stomach. "Alright Nara what do you suggest. I would like to get some air."

"We can open the windows Milady," Nara offered helpfully grateful that her charge listened to reason this time.

A strangled scream that turned into a growl in Revka's throat as she threw up her hands in disgust. "I meant I want to get some air out of this stuffy house. I want to go for a walk and take in the fresh…air."

"Milady," Nara said as she noticed the pained look on Revka's face.

"Oh, that hurt."

"The baby Milady."

Revka groaned in both pain and irritation. Suddenly there was a wet feeling between her legs, and she wondered if she had already given birth. If so, the maids greatly exaggerated the pain involved with labor. She started pulling up her dress looking for the infant. "Yes, help me. I think I just had the baby."

Nara looked confused. She had no training in the healing arts but doubted the birthing process was this simple. After all, if it was, they wouldn't need midwifes. "Are you sure Milady?"

"I don't know. I had a great pain and then I was all wet."

"I see no infant. Maybe we should send for the midwife just to be certain."

Revka grabbed her stomach again as a sharp pain constricted her lower body. "Yes. Go."

Nara hurried left the bedroom in search of an additional servants to fetch the Midwife. She found Oran in the hallway she sent the elf on his way and told him to send up the housekeeper. She turned back to the bedroom and her charge. In the room the woman was doubled in in what appeared to be great pain.

"Let me get you out of those clothes and into the birthing gown." She began pulling the girl toward the center of the room.

All Revka could do was nod and allow her lady in waiting to help.

Nara was unlacing the back of Revka's over dress when the down stairs maid entered the room. Her eyes lingered on the half-dressed noble. "Milady, Oran is retrieving the midwife and Imal has gone to the gallows to retrieve your uncle. Would you like me to send someone to fetch your father and brother?

"No," Revka said in a half yell as another contraction racked her slender frame. Her father was the one man she wanted nowhere near her.

Hours passed as the Amell men sat in the study waiting to hear word of the child. The screams grew in intensity and then all would grow quiet. Only for the screams to begin again. Fausten had taken to pacing the floor with a drink in his hand. The alcohol would slosh out as he used the glass to gesture wildly in conversation no one participated in. The servant near the door to refill his drink until Lord Aristide command him not to.

"Brother, pull yourself together. Your daughter is strong. You are wasting good brandy wildly thrashing around."

"I don't remember you being this calm when it was Bethann delivering Leandra," Fausten answered scornfully.

"It took a day and a half to birth Leandra and Bethann had been sick during the pregnancy. Your daughter is healthy, and it has only been five hours. Everything will be as it should be. Now either drink your drink or put the glass down. Western Hills brandy is to expensive to be spilled all over the floor."

Fausten glowered at his older brother but did what he said. He turned to the other two members of the family in the room. Gamlen was playing a game of Diamond Back with his cousin and the two were oblivious to the racket going on upstairs.

"Father, Uncle is right. Revka is strong of constitution and will. Birthing the babe will not harm my sister. From all the fuss that is being made she will bring another daughter to the family," Damion said.

Aristide looked up from the book he was reading at the woman who just entered the room. "Yes? What news do you have to report?"

Nara paled at the tone the Lord took with her. The cook had suggested that someone go let him know how things were going. She had volunteered but looking at the frowning men she almost wished she hadn't. "Um, My Lord, the midwife said the baby is crowning and it shouldn't be long now."

"That's it? Your coming in here to tell us nothing has changed. We still know nothing. Go back upstairs and do not come back down until that baby is born and presentable." Fausten said in disgust.

Nara swallowed hard but didn't move until Lord Aristide motioned her with his hand to leave. He closed the book and studied his brother. He had never seen the man so unhinged. There was something wrong and it had nothing and everything to do with the child upstairs. "I am glad to see you have no problem ordering around my servants."

Fausten ran a hand through his long dark hair and sighed. He hated being dependent on his brother. It was one of the reasons he had pushed his son into the deal with Viscount. Damion was the oldest of his children and it was Damion that Aristide should be worrying about. The only thing his daughter was good for was a lucrative marriage. And she had ruined that with the bastard child. The only reason he had allowed her to keep the child was the slim hope that the father was a noble he could blackmail into the funds he need. After all it was only reason, he could think to keep the name of the father from them. "I apologize brother. It is your house and we are guests."

"Is there something that we need to discuss, Fausten?"

"NO! I mean no. It is concern for the babe and it's mother nothing more."

Aristide knew when he was being lied to and did not like it. He pursed his lips but allowed his younger brother to believe that he had fooled him. This child was going to save Thedas from a coming darkness and the name Amell would be great again. His daughter could return home. Or at least that is what the spirt medium Flemeth told him she had saw in a dream after touching his niece pregnant with her unborn child.

When his niece told him about going into the tavern, the attack and nursing the wounded man back to health. He was furious another man took advantage of the nativity of one more female of his family. But when he sent his spies to find out who the man and deal with him. None of his spies came back. The man was a capable warrior. When he questioned Revka again she confessed that he had offered to send her to his home in Ferelden to live with his family. When his niece did not accept the offer because she refused to do what her cousin had done Aristide chose to drop the notion of finding the offender.

Two hours later Nara descended the large staircase with the bundle in her arms. The child's mother was resting after the eight-hour ordeal. As customary the family head would be the first to welcome the child into the world. She curtsied as she entered the room and carried the bundle over to the lord of the manor. She placed the infant in his arms and said, "My lord. The child is here. Milady had a baby girl. The midwife said both the mother and infant are well. The mage healer has also look over the baby and said she is healthy."

Aristide looked at the child in his arms and nodded to the servant dismissing her. "Fausten, look your granddaughter is strong and healthy. She has a full head of dark hair and what I assume is her father's coloring. She will bring the Amell family greatness."

Fausten disgusted they would be burdened with another female child swallowed his drink in one large gulp and stomped out of the room. Damion having no interest one way or another in the child went back to the game of Diamond Back with his cousin. He would wait until his father left as he wanted to see his sister and see how she fared. After all, if she hadn't gone to help him that night she would not have been raped and left to carry the consequence.

9:10 Dragon 17 Harvestmere

"Milady your father is here to see you and the little one," Nara said announcing the lord.

Revka looked down at the little girl suckling at her breast and pulled her dressing gown together. The garment offered little in cover. But the child covered her enough to be presentable. She knew her father would not wait when he was angry. It had been the requisite fortnight before infant and new mother were introduced to society. "Let him know I am feeding her. And then let him know that he is bid entry."

"Yes Milady," Nara said bowing.

"Daughter," Fausten said entering the updated nursery. His disgust curled his lip into a sneer at seeing the money Damion should inherit wasted on a female child. "You should not be doing that. You are a noble and nobles are not so base and common as feeding the child from your own body. Your Uncle will hire a wet nurse along with a nanny."

"Thank you, Father. Uncle Aristide has already offered to hire both, but I declined the additional cost of servants. I do not wish to upset you, but I wish to feed the child myself. Aunt Bethann nursed both cousin Leandra and Gamelan."

"I will not have you attending this child's naming ball dripping all over yourself. You have embarrassed this family enough. How do you expect to find a worthy husband if you continue to disgrace yourself?"

Revka bit her tongue not to snap at her father. Her uncle might be head of the family but under the law she was still subject to her father's whims. He could have her removed from Aristide's house. And while her Uncle would make sure the removal wasn't permanent something could happen to her daughter in the meantime. "There shall be no disgrace father. There is a special garment worn in the boning of the dress to avoid untoward appearances."

Fausten rubbed his forehead. Daughters were a curse from the Maker for the sins of man. His niece Leandra was proof of that. After everything her father did to arrange a good marriage for the girl, she threw it in her brothers face and ran away with an apostate. And now his daughter was following in her cousin's footsteps. "Are you going to name the father of the child now? We have waited on a woman's prerogative long enough. Your Uncle will need it to enter into the Amell family tree and to give the name to your child."

"No Uncle already approved the name I chose for her. She will be called Ciara Amell. After the Ciaran Amell the Grey Warden who rescued thousands of people from Kirkwall during the 4th blight. Uncle already showed her the griffin statues in the main hall and told her the story about how Ciaran defend the inhabitants of Kirkwall as they evacuated with the help of the griffins."

"He spoils you and ignores your brother. Why because you are a reminder of his failure with his own daughter. You are my daughter it is my approval you need to have. And you will tell me about the father of this child."

Revka handed the little girl to Nara and watched the servant take the child into the nursery. She adjusted the dressing gown, so she was completely covered and asked "Why? If Uncle Aristate accepts not having the name, why can't you? Are you hoping it is the Viscount so you can try to force him into marriage or gold? Well I am sorry Father it was just a …solider… no one grand or titled. He isn't even from Kirkwall; he is from Ferelden, Highover to be exact."

"You…you whore You laid with a dog lord." Fausten roared disgusted. "You open your legs for a common solider, but you can't marry a lord and help your brother or your father. You would rather live as a peasant when you could be a queen and shown your family loyalty. You had better hope your uncle lives a long time because I am not going to forget this betrayal."

Fausten spun around and stormed out of his daughter's room yelling about betrayal of blood being the worst sin possible. Revka didn't want to hurt her Uncle by running away from Kirkwall like her cousin but her father made her wish she had taken her grey warden up on his offer to settle in Highover with his family. One day when he came back, she would have to ask him if the offer was still available.


End file.
